As to the issue of “Stop Illegal Mining” campaign introduced by Ghana’s sitting president, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo all in the name of protecting the country’s land and natural mineral resources, people of Prestea and it’s environs have been crying and complaining about the hardship of life in which the people of Prestea are in now.
Government launched “Operation Vanguard”, the 400 security men made up of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service have been divided into three groups to cover the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions to clamp down the activities of illegal mining operations.
The government imposed the six-month ban on small-scale mining as part of efforts to end illegal mining and its degrading effects on the environment but the six month has ended and government has revealed to extend the duration of the ban.
However, the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners has expressed its displeasure with the ban.
Speaking in an interview with Nanaba Boakye Ansah on Prestea based Energy Fm, some of people voiced out that taking into consideration, the only backbone of Prestea is the Small Scale Mining (GALAMSEY), and since the ban on the galamsey job is still in progress, Prestea and parents are unable to pay for the fees of their wards, trading is collapsing and almost everything has turned upside down in Prestea.
Therefore they are pleading with the government to release the ban on the galamsey so that the youth and their husbands can work and cater for their families, they said this when the Minster for Lands and Natural Mineral Resources, Hon. John Peter Amewu said the ban on the small scale mining is going to be extended because initial assessment of the ban shows only 15% of the target has been achieved making it improper to lift the ban.
Hon. Amewu said this at ‘Modaso’ a community in the Amenfi East District of the Western Region when he inspected the concession of Canada, Ghana and Alaska mining company on the 1st of October, 2017.
